Upload info on website: HC tells Punjab poll panel

The Punjab and Haryana high court has directed the Punjab state election commission to upload on its official website all notifications and other information pertaining to the forthcoming panchayat and zila parishad elections in the state.

The Punjab and Haryana high court has directed the Punjab state election commission to upload on its official website all notifications and other information pertaining to the forthcoming panchayat and zila parishad elections in the state.

In response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Jaskirit Singh of Ludhiana and Parvinder Singh Kittna of Nawanshahr, seeking appropriate directions to the state election commission to create its website and provide all relevant notifications pertaining to the elections on it, ML Sharma, secretary, state election commission, filed a reply on Tuesday.

The reply was filed before the division bench comprising acting chief justice Jasbir Singh and justice Rakesh Kumar Jain, stating that a website with domain name http://pbsec.gov.in had been created and the respondents were trying to make available relevant information for the public through the website.

While directing the respondents to upload all relevant notifications on the newly-created website of the state election commission within two months, the bench further directed that all information pertaining to the panchayat and ZP elections should be immediately uploaded on the website.

Regarding the prayer made in the PIL that all returning officers (ROs) should be directed to display affidavits filed by various candidates on notice boards, the respondents have stated in their reply that under the amended Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, provision has been made for compulsory display of such affidavits on notice boards by the ROs.

After taking note of the respondents' statement, the high court disposed of the PIL.